LOS ANGELES – As the COVID-19 death toll continues to rise, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has announced an extension of a no-sail order originally issued March 14 for all cruise ships.
“We are working with the cruise line industry to address the health and safety of crew at sea as well as communities surrounding U.S. cruise ship points of entry,” said CDC Director Robert Redfield in a statement.At the time of the initial order, cruise line operators had worked with local governments to help more than 250,000 passengers from over 120 vessels return home.
Now, the CDC estimates that at least 10 cruise ships recently reported positive cases of coronavirus from crew and passengers, including the Disney Wonder, the Holland America Zaandam and the Celebrity Coral Princess. Approximately 100 cruise ships remained at sea off the East Coast, West Coast and Gulf Coast, with nearly 80,000 crew aboard all of the ships combined.